Women with intellectual disability less likely to be screened for breast cancer
By Louise Kinross
Danish women with intellectual disabilities were almost five times more likely than those without to have never been screened for breast cancer, according to a population-based study published this month in JAMA Network Open.
The national breast cancer screening program in Denmark targets women aged 50 to 69 with free screening every two years. In the study, 45 per cent of 5,595 women in this age group with intellectual disability had never been screened, compared to 13 per cent of almost 50,000 women without disability. Screening was lowest in women with Down syndrome and those with cerebral palsy and intellectual disability, with only 14 per cent and 16 per cent in each group being fully screened.
The scientists reference recent studies that found women with intellectual disability are at higher risk of dying from breast cancer than those without.
In the Danish study, participation in screening decreased as the severity of the disability increased. The authors didn't study the reasons for the low level of screening, but note other studies have suggested these barriers: fear, distress and embarrassment; unpreparedness; negative interactions with health workers; a lack of knowledge about cancer screening; mobility issues; and a lack of ability to provide consent and communicate verbally.
In 2021, BLOOM did a story about inaccessible mammogram equipment in Toronto. The same year the American National Council on Disability published a report that referenced studies showing American exam tables and chairs, weight scales, and imaging equipment including mammograms and X-rays were usually inaccessible, leading to delayed and incomplete care.
The lead author of the Danish study is from the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark.
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